I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of entries received. Thank you to all who participated! Now comes the fun part—voting! I will put all of the entries down below, and then you, readers, shall vote using the form I've added after the entries.
Comments will not be used as legitimate votes. You have until a week from today,
November 29, to cast your vote. I'll announce the winner on the 30th, the last day of NaNoWriMo. If you'd like to share about it, you can find us on
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To make this as fair as possible, I will simply number the snippets rather than putting the name and title with them.
Entry #1
“Hello, there. I imagine you sell flowers?” he said. His accent was English but lower class and with a slight foreign infection.
Adele smothered a laugh. “Yes, sir, we do. What are you looking for?”
“Er, two bouquets. The first is for my sister—it’s her birthday, she likes pink roses, and we could add some little white flowers or something; you’ll know what to do with that.”
Adele nodded. “I can do that easily. And the second bouquet?”
“It’s for a special lady. Not sure what she’d like yet, though. If you were to buy yourself a bouquet, what would it look like?”
“What do you know about the lady?” Adele asked.
He grinned self-consciously. “She’s quite lovely; that’s really about all I know.”
Adele laughed. “What kind of lovely?”
He cocked his head to the side, regarding her closely. “Dark beauty. Almost Italian, I’d say.”
Adele nodded. “Is this for a formal occasion or …?”
“Um, more of a casual date, I’d say. Dinner, perhaps, but more of a cafe sort of thing. Perhaps a stroll afterwards in the park. But not too casual. I think she’s got some class. Like I said, this is for a lady, not some street girl. Keep that in mind.”
“Of course,” Adele said. “So we have a very lovely, dark lady for a semi-casual date. And what do you want to communicate with the bouquet? Most women won't think about the ‘language of flowers,’ but it’s wise for us to think about it—just in case. And a few flowers have very obvious meanings. Forget-me-nots, for instance. And most people interpret roses to mean love, though they’re also a common flower. Still, they’re rather my favorite.”
“I think she would know the language of flowers, whatever that is. But that’s what I’m not sure about,” the man admitted. “I don’t want to frighten her off.”
“Flowers seldom frighten women,” Adele assured him. “I’m assuming this would be a first date?”
“Yes. But I feel strongly that … this is it.” His voice had a slight crackle about the edges, like he was almost getting emotional about it.
Adele raised her eyebrows. “You’re very sure of yourself.”
He shook his head. “I may look that way, but I’m trembling on the inside. But … yes. As sure as a fellow can be without knowing the lady’s mind. I’m only half of the equation, and she makes the final decision.”
Adele sighed and turned to collect a catalog. She felt suddenly wistful. Here was a man firm in his path and yet not too overbearing or overconfident. And he was definitely a romantic, which was always nice. People nowadays didn’t believe in romance—at least not romance with happy endings. “So love at first sight?”
He smiled softly. “You might call it that.”
Smitten. Absolutely smitten. Whoever the girl was, she was a lucky one. It was rarely a man let his feelings get so involved. All the good ones were taken, and the bad ones only made love to good time girls while their wives were nothing but business deals. “Thornless roses, red. How much can you afford?”
“Money isn’t an object.”
And not too poor. Always nice. “Very well. Here are some of my favorite arrangements …”
Once the two bouquets were assembled, the man accepted them both carefully, wrapped up so they would be preserved until the evening, and smiled down at her.
“I forgot I never learned your name,” he said.
“Oh. Adele. Adele Collier.”
“Adele. Hmm.” He seemed to test the name on his tongue. “That’s quite pretty. I’m Troy Kee.”
She started to extend her hand then laughed when she realized he didn’t have the ability to shake, loaded down with flowers as he was. “I’m glad to meet you.”
He smiled.“And I am very glad I met you. Actually, I have a question. What are you doing tonight?”
Adele paused, unsure how to respond, then laughed. “Nothing, really.”
“Hmm … then I suppose you need somewhere to go for dinner?”
Entry #2
David hopped up into the truck bed to determine how best to lower Beth’s piano to the ground. The musical piece was very special to his wife as it had belonged to her deceased mother. If David had his way, there wouldn't so much as a nick mar it's smooth top.
“Hey, Jack, this is where you came in,” David called to the older gentleman who stood in the yard chatting with Beth.
“I’m coming.” Jack sauntered over, hands on his hips as he eyed the object in question. “Think this will be any easier than getting it in was?”
“Somehow I doubt it,” David muttered, wiggling in behind the piano to more efficiently scoot it toward the back of the truck.
“Remind me again why I'm doing this?” Luke grumbled as they worked to lower the piano to the dirt strip that ran behind the house.
“Umm…because I asked you to?” David suggested, jumping to the ground once the piano was resting safely. “Because you're too nice to say no? No wait, I got it. Because Erin told you too.”
Luke rolled his eyes and leaned against the upright piano to catch his breath. “The sad thing is…I think you're right.”
“Of course I am,” David smirked, preparing to lift the piano again. “By the way, this one doesn't go to the basement. The girls want it in the living room.”
“Oh, swell. That means I'll get the opportunity to kill myself on the porch steps.”
David bit back a snicker. “Something like that. Ready, Jack?”
“As I'll ever be.”
With even more of Luke’s ‘breathers’ than on their previous trip, the three men made it across the yard, up the porch steps, and into the house with the treasured piano.
They’d just gotten it situated against the only wall that wasn't blocked by other furniture and collapsed to the rug, when Bethany stuck her head into the room. She laughed out loud when she saw them sprawling in the floor.
“This work too much for you fellows?”
“Sorry, Bethany.” Luke flapped one limp hand in her direction. “I'm too busy trying to force air into my lungs to come up with a sarcastic reply.”
David rolled his eyes. “You're pathetic.”
“Guilty as charged, brother.”
Bethany chuckled. “I didn't come in here to stir up an argument. I–”
“Trust me, you're having no effect on my feelings toward him,” Luke smirked. “I'm about dead and your husband is too blame.”
David pulled himself up from the floor and moved to the couch to complete his recovery. “Don't believe a word he says, Beth. And you, stop interrupting my wife. What were you saying, dear?”
Bethany just grinned. “I was just coming in to let you two know that Lenore has arranged a picnic, scheduled for the front yard in about five minutes. I would suggest making an appearance—shortly.”
“Yes, ma'am, we’ll be there,” David replied.
Luke nodded from the floor. “Expect us to arrive winded but alive.”
Shaking her head at their ridiculousness, Bethany ducked back out of the room.
Laughing at the younger two, Jack shook his head and stood. “If you think y’all can handle the rest, I’m going to head back to the cafe.”
“Can do. Thanks, Jack.” David stood to shake the man’s hand as Jack slipped out of the room. Then he walked over to Luke, holding out his hand to help him up.
“One more item and then you can eat.”
“Gee, thanks, boss.”
Stepping out onto the porch, David spotted Bethany, Erin, and Lenore seated on a quilt under the large shade tree in the yard. The rumble of Jack’s engine could be heard, slowly fading. He smiled at the sight and continued down the steps. Halfway across the grassy patch, he realized Luke wasn't with him.
“Hey, you coming?” he called.
Luke drug his gaze from the ladies across the way and walked over to David. “You know… Leaving them is gonna be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
The words hit home, and David tightened his jaw as his gaze moved back to the three ladies under the trees spreading branches. The worst part of a goodbye was not knowing when you would say hello again.
Entry #3
“The king is dead.”
The proclamation whispered through corridors, echoed in dark alleys, lingered in the polished palace halls, and rolled through the courtyard from the unsmiling mouth of the palace messenger.
“The king is dead—the king is dead.”
Mothers whispered it over babies’ cradles, partiers repeated it with a coarse laugh over tavern tables, a farmer gathering the early harvest muttered it to himself between each sweet potato he dug.
Other whispers followed, murmuring of the kingly succession now upon Taerna, questioning King Daemien’s unexpected demise, and speculating who King Thaerre might now choose to crown upon the two thrones in Syorien. With the whispers circulated dreams of power, rumors of change.
It whispered to a pale princess just rising from her bed through the lips of Giana the maid, tiptoeing in bearing a heap of black garments.
"The co-king is dead—your uncle, princess."
The words echoed through Ruemyr’s head as the maid’s hands readied her to face the day. There would be mourning, there would be a proper week-long ceremony, and there would be the increased security detail requisite upon the increased contact with the people.
Two things she must remember: she’d use every opportunity to mingle with the common people, especially on an official occasion such as this would be; and she must speak with her father Chief King Thaerre as soon as she could.
Laws of Taerna. Perhaps Father would see things her way this time.
Entry #4
I huffed a sigh as I waited in the train station. I was waiting for the man who would become my husband, so far he was an hour late, and if my dear, mail-order husband didn’t show up soon I’d walk to his house, I looked around again watching men and women greet loved ones. And here I was waiting for a man I’ve never met to get married.
Sighing again I stood and made my way into the station, carrying my bag over my shoulder, and pulling both of my suitcases behind me, and my purse in my hand. I walked out of the station and slowly made my way to the apartment a mile away.
My husband-to-be had sent me a key, and told me when I called. I walked up the steps, pulling my things behind me, looking for the address, so, I waved on a woman who asked if I needed help, and continued on my way to Travis, my husband to be’s house. Before I knew it I was standing in front of the two-story apartment, it was brick with five windows on the front, and a red door. Debating if I should wait outside or not, I looked at my watch and saw that it was an hour after the time Travis said he would pick me up.
It wasn’t his fault that my train was late it was just his fault for not answering his phone answer.
When there was no reply I knocked again and waited, after five minutes, I felt around in my purse for the key that Travis had sent me, unlocked the door, and stepped in, looking around I saw that he was a clean freak, which was better than I could say for my brother. I set my bags beside the couch and looked around, I’d never been in a guy’s house that wasn’t a relative. Slipping off my heels I fished around in my small suitcase for a pair of socks, I slipped them on and stood, went to the kitchen and glanced around at clean kitchen wondering if this was how it always was or if Travis had cleaned it up for me.
“Well, I guess I’ll get to work,” I said to the cat that was following me. From what I remembered Travis said the cat’s name is Ripy
“Hi, Ripy, is the kitchen always so clean?” I asked. Feeling silly that I was talking to the cat I looked in each cabinet, and the fridge and decided to make chicken salad sandwiches, lemonade, and brownies. I cooked a chicken breast, got lettuce from the fridge, pulled out the bread from the cabinet. I was setting two plates with a chicken sandwich when the front door was unlocked.
Entry #5
“All right, everybody untangled?” Uncle Ted climbed into the driver’s seat and surveyed the log jam that was the rest of the suburban with a calm smile that meant he didn’t have to deal with it.
“Yeah, right,” Jess grumbled, shoving his pillow over the seat at me. “Alex, take this.”
“Look, just because we have one extra seat doesn’t mean we can hold all the stuff.” I put my hand out to balance the mound that Jess’s pillow had nearly toppled. “This is like Mount Everest.”
“It’s about to become like Mount Hawaii.” Johnny shoved Ty’s backpack out from between the sleeping bags and knocked it unceremoniously onto Benny’s lap.
“Is that really a mountain?” Jess asked.
“Fine, then pick a volcano.” Johnny kicked a box of chips out from under her feet and dropped them in Jess’s vicinity. “Stick these in the back somewhere. We won’t need them for a while.”
The medicine kit knocked against the back of my legs, and I gave it a determined kick back into its place under the seat. Ty groaned.
“Come on, Alex! I have to put this somewhere.”
“Try under your seat.”
“I’ve got the camp stove under mine.”
“Then find someplace else. We’ve got almost no leg room as it is.”
“Oh, don’t even start,” Jess exclaimed in disgust. “You’ve got a whole extra seat, not to mention your legs aren’t as long.”
“We’ve also got the cooler, and short people don’t like to ride with their knees in their chins any more than giants do,” Johnny retorted for me. “Who’s got my crochet?”
“Dad probably packed it,” Ty said dryly.
“Oh, no way. I put it with the jackets and stuff!” Johnny almost wailed.
“It’s up here, sweetie.” Aunt Liz looked back at us and shook her head with a wry smile. “Are you all at least buckled in?”
“Check.” “Yep.” “Yeah.” “Almost.” “Wait!”
Aunt Liz watched until Johnny and I managed to burrow under the pile between us and click our seatbelts, then she nodded to Uncle Ted. We finally got our stuff into some semblance of order and were just settling back in our seats when Uncle Ted glanced over his shoulder.
“Lincoln Street coming up. Last chance for anything forgotten.”
“Nothing.” “Nope.” “Copy.”
“Square root of pi,” Jess said, and Johnny gave him a disgusted glance.
“You have to know something in the first place in order to forget it, goofball.”
“Maybe I wrote it down and left it on the table.” Jess tweaked her braid, and Johnny quickly pulled it out of his reach.
“Did you?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Uncle Ted chuckled. “We’re not turning around for the square root of pi, even if you did leave it. Anyone forget anything essential?”
“The date of the Battle of Bull Run.” Johnny grinned. “That was essential to the history test yesterday.”
“Taking my shoes off after watering the garden,” Jess volunteered.
“How to play a B chord,” I chimed in.
“Brushing my teeth this morning?”
“You better didn’t.” I gave Ty a warning glare, and he pretended to breathe in my face.
“Benny, welcome to road trips with the pack.” Aunt Liz craned her neck to see him around the pile of stuff in the front seat. “I hope you brought your most ridiculous sense of humor. You’re going to need it.”
“Oh, man!” Benny slapped his forehead with a cry of despair so sudden that we all turned and looked at him. “I think I left it in the closet.”
“Left what?” I started to ask, but Jess burst into uncontrollable laughter, and an instant later Ty and Johnny followed suit. It took me a couple of seconds to get the joke, but finally it hit me, and I laughed too.
“Well, that’s it.” Uncle Ted shook his head in the mirror as the laughter died down. “Congratulations, gang. You’ve managed to ruin another potentially normal human being. Shall we make the transformation complete?”
Entry #6
The road was a place of unorganized fleeing. Each man to his own. No one was attempting to help douse the flame licking up the sides of their general store, their livelihood, their home.
Amongst all the commotion of fire wagons on the way, running men, wailing children, and worried mothers, Dakota sprang into action when she heard one distinct scream above the rest. It was her Ma.
“Help! Someone help! My daughter is still in the building!”
Lexi! Dakota’s vision blurred as she looked at the deep, orange flames engulfing the wood structure. Her ears burned, and her throat tightened with worry.
“Stay with the wagon.” Joe thrust the reins into Addy’s shaking hands, and jumped down, hitting the ground at a full run. Dakota was seconds behind him.
The fire wagon arrived and the driver tried desperately to keep the two horses hitched to it under control. While men pumped the water from the wagon bed, another group of brave townsmen formed a assembly line from the water trough across the street, running buckets of water to the raging flames.
Dakota ran pushing through the mass of people, some helping, others standing with gapping mouths. It seemed as though the whole town of Independence was crowding the streets just so she would have a difficult time reaching the fire. I have to save Lexi! My baby sister! Her thoughts jumbled and her heart wrenched.
She finally made to the fire and saw three bulky men holding her father back. Dakota’s mother had crumpled on the ground, crying. No! This cannot happen! She could barely hear her own thoughts between the ever-growing fire and all the shouts and screams.
Dakota ran, despite the smoke attacking her lungs. She dodged those in her way until she came to the water trough. Jumping in to drench her skirt, Dakota then sprinted back to the flames. It was more difficult to run in a soaking wet skirt clinging to her legs. She stumbled, huffing out of breath.
She reached the building as part of the roof collapsed, making the firemen retreat some. Dakota lunged forward. She ran to the back door, which was slightly ajar. Swinging it open, she stepped in, arms shielding her face from the searing heat. She coughed the black smoke and her eyes watered from it’s intenseness. Wheezing out her sisters name, she tried to locate her in the roar of the fire. Dear God! Help me!
She climbed the stairs two by two with surprising speed and dodged a charcoaled beam as it fell crashing down. Dakota needed to find Lexi, and fast! Oxygen was depleting, and Dakota willed herself to stay strong. She opened the bedroom door, and didn’t see her sister. Then she heard a bark. Wolfy! Their dog barked again, and Dakota saw him grab ahold of Lexi’s sleeve. She was unconscious laying behind the bed frame.
Dakota quickly grabbed her sister and carried her with every ounce of strength she could muster. Wolfy bonded out the door and down the stairs, jumping a small, fiery beam in their path. Dakota followed carrying Lexi’s limp form. She stumbled out of the burning house just before it crumpled into a heap of burning debris and glowing embers. Dakota was fully aware that God was the One who kept the flames from overtaking them, and letting them get out of the fire without getting seriously hurt, or worse.
People came from all directions, crowding Dakota.
“Someone get a wagon!”
“Call the doc!”
“They made it out!”
Commands, screams and cheering surrounded her, pressing tightly around her until a wagon parted the sea of city people just like Dakota would imagine how God parted the red sea for the Israelites.
Dakota gently laid Lexi’s still body on the wagon bed. Her mother hovered beside the doctor who checked her pulse.
“Faint, but she’s alive.”
“Thank God!” Her mother burst into tears and tightly hugged Dakota. Her father was next, giving her a bear hug.
Addy, who’s eyes were watery, whispered, “Your so brave. I love you, Dakota.”
“We need to get Lexi to my clinic.” Doc McCaffery stated in a serious tone.
Pa drove the wagon and the Doc rode in the wagon bed with Ma, Addy, Dakota, Lexi and Wolfy. The latter three were covered in ash and soot from escaping the burning building. She looked back at where the general store used to stand, it was now burnt to the ground in a black heap, only a few charred wood beams were left lying along with the canned goods. The rest of the men continued to douse the lessening flames.
Entry #7
I shiver and Colton breaks the stillness by shrugging off his jacket and wrapping it around my shoulders. I slip my arms through and thank him. He nods and smiles.
He moves from his spot on top of the picnic table to a spot next to me on the bench. “Rylee, could I talk to you about something?
“I've never really said anything like this before so bear with me. Like, I know what I want to say but I know it's going to get jumbled when I try to say it so I'm apologizing in advance,” he laughs a nervous laugh.
I swallow hard. What is he going to say? My heart is pounding so hard I wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it.
“Rylee, I-” he stops and takes a deep breath. “I don't know how to start this,” he whispers. “I had it all planned out in my head and it's all gone.”
He stands up and faces the water for a moment before turning back towards me. “Rylee, I'm just going to be honest. When I first walked into the kitchen and you were sitting at the table with Missy and Josh, I thought you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. There have been so many times that I noticed how beautiful you are. I didn't let it go to my head though because I thought you were leaving and I didn't really know you.
“Even though I tried not to, I couldn't help but notice you. I can't get you out of my head. When you told me that you might not leave, I couldn't help but raise my hopes. All of the pieces seemed to be falling together.
“What I'm doing a really bad job at saying is that I really like you, Rylee. I know you don't really have a dad so I can't go to him like I'd like to, but I'd like to ask your permission to court you.
“Before you say anything, hear me out. If you say yes, I promise to guard your heart and protect it. I won't play with it or take advantage of it. I want to pursue you in a pure, Godly way. And if you say no, I will wholeheartedly respect that. I know that you haven't even decided if you are staying here but I had to tell you this. I knew I would regret it if I didn't. But I do promise to respect you no matter what you answer.”
“Colton...” I look into his nervous eyes, “I really do like you. I think you're sweet and handsome and kind. You're an amazing guy. I'm sorry, it's just that,” I pause and a tear drops onto my cheek, “I'm just not ready. I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm going. I don't want to hurt you-I don't want to end up leaving you. I mean, maybe if things were different, I could say yes. But I can't.”
I can't look in his eyes. I know I've hurt him. I feel him sit down next to me and his hand brushes my chin. He lifts my head so that we make eye contact. The little light that's left shines off of his eyes, making the green in them more prominent.
“Rylee, I said I would respect you and your decision. I am ready to wait for you. When you decide on your path, if it brings you to me, I will be the happiest man alive. If it doesn't, I'll continue to respect that.”
“I'm sorry,” I whisper, standing up and running back towards the trail.
I stop and lean against a tree, tears streaming down my cheeks. He told me he loved me. And I can't help but feel like I do too. Or at least could.
I slide down the tree and set my head in my hands. I cry for a long time. My heart feels like it was ripped out, stepped on, torn apart, then set back in my chest, battered and torn. I stop crying but just stare in a daze, thinking over and over about how much I've hurt him. I will forever hate myself for that.
***
I look behind the house and don't see Colton. While I'm nervous he'll be angry with me, I just want to see his face.
I look in the barn but don't see him there either. There's one more place to look: the shed. Just as I go to open the door it swings open.
Colton jumps, dropping the hammer he had in his hand. He pauses for just a moment, then, without hesitation, he lifts me up in a hug. He whispers, “You're back.”
I smile and nod my head.
“Are you staying?”
I again nod my head.
“For good?”
“Yes,” I say, laughing.
He pauses for a moment as if he's thinking about how he wants to word what he's about to say, “Is there any chance, then, of you wanting to-”
I nod again. If I'm staying here there is no way I can not be with Colton.
He picks me up again and twirls me in a circle. When he sets me down I wrap my arms around his neck in a hug. “I promise I'll never hurt you like that again,” I whisper.
We hug in silence for a minute. Just soaking in our overflowing joy.
“Does this mean we're officially a couple?” I ask, a mischievous grin twisting my lips as I tilt my head to the side.
Colton grins, “I think it does.”
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